Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown finally open

15 years after construction started, Metrolinx, Toronto’s suburban transit agency, was finally able to celebrate the opening of the 19km 25-stop standard-gauge light rail line 5, Eglinton Crosstown from Mount Dennis to Scarborough (Kennedy station), on 8 February. There was no official ceremony, but free travel on opening day and 48 LRVs in service to provide a 4-6 minute headway but no late evening service. End-to-end time is 55-59 minutes. The line is operated by TTC and a full timetable is expected in May. Maintenance is in the hands of the Crosslinx consortium that built the line under a PPP model. The opening was six years later than originally planned and the project cost CAD 13bn compared to the CAD 9.1bn in the original contract. Bombardier delivered 76 Flexity Freedom LRVs in 2019-21; they run in back-to-back coupled pairs. Trains are fitted with ATC for use on the 6km portion of line in subway between Laird and Mount Dennis.